What do you think of ‘Waiting for Superman’?

It is not a mere movie. It is a campaign, the launch of a ground war in public education.

The documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman,’” which explores the lives of children it portrays as let down by our public schools, will come to a local movie theater on Friday. Directed by Davis Guggenheim, whose “An Inconvenient Truth” earned $50 million at the box office and made climate change a kitchen table conversation across the nation, the movie has become a call to action for those in education reform.

On Wednesday, 2,250 charter school students, parents and educators packed the Palace Theatre for a special screening of the movie, sponsored by the Brighter Choice Foundation, which supports 11 charter schools in Albany. The screening audience was one of the biggest in the nation, according to Brighter Choice officials who asked the film’s producers to show the movie here because Albany has such a high number of the publicly funded, privately run schools.

The movie follows several young children enduring a charter admissions lottery, complete with spinning numbered balls, as their last chance at an education better than the dysfunctional public schools near their homes. The film’s villains are clearly the teacher’s unions, their resistance to any sort of change and the deadbeat educators they protect.

At the Palace, the audience cheered when a young boy seeking a slot at a charter boarding school in Washington, D.C., said “I want my kids to have better than what I have.” There were tears when a little girl who wants to be a doctor does not get one of the coveted slots in a Los Angeles charter school, seemingly destined to go to a nearby public school where a fraction of the children are deemed proficient in math and reading.

But the film’s arrival here — it will be at Albany’s Spectrum 8 Theatres — and in theaters across the country, is being used by charter supporters as a call to arms and the beginning of a major grass-roots effort. At the screening on Wednesday, students wearing school uniforms paraded the aisles holding placards bearing the cellphone number of Albany school board President Dan Egan. A speaker on stage told the crowd to text “Charter $ Now” to Egan all night and through the weekend, in an attempt to sway the district to pay the higher reimbursement rate it now owes charters.

Jasmine Olds, a 14-year-old freshman at the Albany Leadership Charter High School for Girls, handed out cards with Egan’s e-mail address and soliciting volunteers for the “Parent Army.” She said the movie will bring a welcome focus to the differences of charter schools.

“It tells me there are a lot of people who want their kids in charter schools,” she said.

A coalition made up of hundreds of pro-charter groups called Education Reform Now is capitalizing on angry audiences worked up by the film. They have started a campaign called DoneWaiting.org that is emulating the strategy of President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential victory, said Joe Williams, executive director of Democrats for Education Reform, a member of the coalition. He said the group is using a website and volunteers after the screenings to gather the names and e-mail addresses of people who want more charter schools and improved teacher accountability.

“We’re counting on this to be the jump-start to the conversation people in education reform have been awaiting for some time,” he said. “It’s expanding the chorus.”

Charter school administrators took the stage at the end of the film and blasted the Albany schools for withholding some charter payments and spending more money per student in the district schools to do the same work. They encouraged the crowd to shout “My child, my choice.”

Beverly Ivey, assistant principal at the Albany School of Humanities, a district school, sat at the back of the crowd as the noise grew louder. She said she was dismayed to see that no successful district schools were portrayed in the film and expects that it will lead to a tremendous increase in charter school applications.

“I hate to see the divide,” she said. “It is our children that need to be educated.”

Scott Waldman can be reached at 454-5080 or by e-mail at swaldman@timesunion.com.

‘Waiting for Superman’ opens today in the Capital Region. Read the review of the movie.

31 Responses

Why don’t we help these families? Charter school or public school most children will follow their parents example. If the parents have a diploma the children will probably graduate.
I would also like to see the attendance records for these children who are being failed by the schools.
The focus should be on helping the family and the community. If a charter school can do that I am fine with it but that’s not what is happening. They take problem children for a few months and then send them back to the public school a little further behind and a little less motivated.
Any research will show that family values are the most important factor in a child’s success in school, just like research will show that children who have parents in prison will more likely end up there too. I know we could do better by these families if we helped them rather than placing blame on the school.

First, lets get the charter school teachers certified! Many of them are lacking proper certification from the state. Second, stop taking money away from the public schools so they can educate the students properly. Of course, you get results from Charter schools. They are newer schools, better technology, and have smaller class sizes. Thank the public school district for the money to do that. Unfortunately, public schools house so many students that they are not able to work in a small class environment, but they do have to follow the standards of the state and certify their teachers. Stop taking money away from public schools and make the public schools better! Everyone has the right to a good education not just the ones fortunate enough to get into charter schools!

I can’t wait to see this!!! Subyone, charter schools are public schools that get short changed by the system as far as money goes. They are forced to do more with less. You can’t make the public schools “better”. They have proved that with their failures for the last few decades. How much more time do you think they need? You don’t think they’ve had enough time? The kids they’ve failed are proof that things need to change and quick! And Francine, it would be nice if every family had the white picket fence but that’s not reality.

Stop, It is our Children that need a good education and the taxes that we pay, our Children of Albany should have some of the Best Public Schools in the World. If it is Tax money that is supporting these Charter Schools then they are a Public School, and how can Our local Goverment let them Do a Lottery to select the Children that will go there. You are suppose to go to the School that belongs to your District, Charter Schools are Public Schools, So if you are saying that they are not then each child that goes to one their families should be paying Tution, and not being supported by Taxes.
And if our Public Schools are so bad, and everyone knows they are so bad why aren’t charges being pressed against the schools, isn’t this CHILD NEGLECT. If you live in Arbor Hill you go to Arbor Hill if you live in Pine Hills you go to Pine Hills , etc. Unless you want a Private School and then you PAY.

A movie comes out at the same time as Obama and his network NBC are pushing education reform. However, is there ANY mention of student or parent responsibility by these “experts” in education? And why are students spending instructional time going to see a movie that has NOTHING to do with learning. This is politics pure and simple. That helps no one and hurts the KIDS the most. Shame on you.

Ed-You’re bashing a high performing charter school for bringing their kids to a movie about charter schools? Put the shame where it belongs, on ALBANY!! ALBANY hurts the kids the most with their refusal to support charters and letting their system fail their children for DECADES!!!!!! Seriously, when are you going to wake up Albany? If you know anything about charters, you would know that parents, kids, educators and school leaders all play a role in the success of the kids.

Melodee, ever since NCLB passed, parents have a the right to choose where to send their kids, at least that’s my understanding. It’s not like that anymore (kids having to go to the school in the neighborhood where they live). Also the reason why nothing has been done to change this “child abuse” is because of the unions are given way too much power, i.e., can’t fire a crappy teacher who’s students are constantly failing. That’s why Albany is in the state that it is in. Charter schools are changing this and Albany is short-changing it’s charters. Doesn’t make sense but that’s what’s going on here.

I think Francine nailed it. The charter schools may give parents a false sense of security in that once they get their kid in they think that their job is done. While surrounding the kids with like-minded students who value education and want to achieve is a plus, it is not the complete solution to success. A home environment were the value of education is stressed and is a PRIORITY is probably more of an indicator of success than being a charter school attendee.

I grew up in a Brooklyn neighborhood (1964 – 73) where the neighborhood Junior High School (Lefferts) had high marks but the local H.S. choices (Wingate, Erasmus Hall) didn’t. Back then J.H.S. was from grades 7-9 and graduates could enter H.S. as a Sophomore (10th grade). I wanted to attend what was then called a ‘magnet school': Brooklyn Tech, which required you start as a freshman so I left Lefferts after grade 8. I had to pass an entrance exam to get in, (but thankfully, no lottery). My freshman class alone had 1,000 students, larger than most local charter schools. At Tech there was less of a tolerance for disruptive students or those with discipline problems and than in the Public schools. We all understood what it took to get in and valued being there (it wasn’t luck of the draw). I wasn’t the smartness kid on the block and grew up in Brooklyn neighborhoods with issues’ (Crown Heights and Bedford Stuyvesant) though nothing like what kids are faced with today. At home it was made clear that education was THE priority. Truancy was not tolerated. It bothers me when people make a big deal about “overcoming their neighborhood environment” to succeed. Isn’t that true for most of us? That said, Kids shouldn’t be encouraged to believe that there is no hope for them if they don’t get into a charter school. There are still changes that can be made at home. Primarily parents being involved more than showing up when something goes wrong.
and Ed Tourge.. as I recall the last time President Obama commented on Education, September 2009, when he said “This isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country.”. Some parents were offended and responded with : “The president’s speeches tend to be [about] what’s wrong with the country and what can we do to fix it.” and “I believe this is the greatest country on Earth, and I try to teach that to my children. … I don’t want them hearing that there’s a fundamental flaw with the country and the kids need to go forward to fix it.” . Some parents even kept their children home from school to avoid them hearing Obama’s speech .. I guess they showed him huh!.”

Before you see this movie you need to understand that charter schools have the ability to be selective in their acceptance and retaining of students. From what it sounds like, this movie does a good job of showing how kids are anxiously waiting to get into a charter school. But what about the students who are under-performing and are released from charter schools before standardized tests? What about students that have IEPs and the charter schools don’t have to accept? What about the numerous examples of charter schools that do fail to meet the needs of their students? Does giving a student a teacher’s cell phone number so they can be reached after school translate into results? Why aren’t the parents helping with their child’s homework instead? Why is it that there aren’t any charter schools in Bethlehem, Clifton Park, Guilderland, etc? Charter schools represent a small percentage the schools all around the country and they are almost exclusively found in urban areas nation wide. I think its pretty apparent that the problem with public education has more to do with socio-economic status than it does lazy and “bad” public school teachers.

@ Francine- Parent accountability does have a major role in this issue. However what if parent does not have a diploma? does that mean the child wont graduate as well? Well I have a diploma and my mother never had one. Exceptions to the rule are possible. I never attended a charter school, but i did become part of a non for profit program that drilled in my head the posabilities a high school and college education would create. By the way I also have my BA in Education. I worked for a local Charter School and for Public Schools. They both have alot of work to do. They need to meet half way in order to truly make a whole effect in our community.
@ Subyone- Im not sure about the data but at the CS that I worked for all teachers were 100% certified by the state. In regards to taking money away from public schools, I do agree that the follow of money from public schools to charter schools is making it harder for the majority of the public schools to fully educate their students. However public school need to fix the broken system called Tenure. I am not against the idea of tenure or for it. But I am 100% agaisnt the way it is right now. Let me tell you a story. When I was in high school(Albany High School) I has a teacher. I’ll call him Mr. B, my freshman year. He taught Earth Science. He was between 30 and 35. So maybe he worked for 10 years, if that much. You want to know what he tought me? Nothing. He sat at his desk. Told us to open our book read chapters, answer questions in the back of the book and hand them in to him. This went on for the entire school year. If this guy was not tenured this would not have happend. Public Schools need to his this tenure system before real progress is made.
@Melodee-Our taxes do pay for Charter School. The families that have their children attend Charter School are not rich ones. Your idea of “If you live in Arbor Hill you go to Arbor Hill if you live in Pine Hills you go to Pine Hills , etc. Unless you want a Private School and then you PAY.” is the reason why some, not all, teachers in Public Schools sit back and could careless about truly educating there students. The fact is teaching at Arbor Hill is 100% harder than teaching at Eagle Point. The fact that you want education to keep students segragated sadens me. Its like your saying if you dont have the money to get out of a broken system we dont care about you. Even if you are 5 years old.
@Ed- Bringing kids to a documentary weather for political reason or not is not a terrible idea. I remember when I was kid going to the movies to see two such documentaries. They really make a long lasting effect on my life as we were able to discuss many issues with peers as opposed to grown-up. So these students going to see this movie should not be make out to look as the worst thing in the world.

To Subyone, I find it ironic that you want to make sure charter school teachers are “certified” like public school teachers, but, then you admit they are doing a better job… Why should money be wasted to “certify” them to do a job they are already doing well?? That sounds like a big waste of money to me. Public schools would be less crowded and could do more if they would be supportive and not against parents seeking alternative schooling for thier children. THe focus should be on what’s working. Charter schools, private schools, home schools even. They have all been proven to work better then most public schools. It’s sad but true.

I am fairly certain you can still chose to send your child to any school you want, as long as you pay the per student differential and transport them. I won’t buy a house in Albany because I don’t want my 4 1/2 year old son going through Albany public schools. The charter schools aren’t helping the situation any. Education should not be subject to the laws of supply and demand.

Sure the unions have a lot of power and of course there are teachers who shouldn’t be teaching, but you can’t always attribute student’s poor performance to the teacher. Albany’s problem is as much the parents of the students as it is the educators and the model. When you have large urban settings you are dealing with tremendous socio-economic issues that run generations deep. The teachers can’t instruct, parent, babysit and play bodyguard all at the same time. Taking money away from the district to funnel it to charter schools isn’t the solution. The solution is a REAL investment in public education, infrastructure and technology. For every dollar you push to a charter school you take a dollar away from public schools. And no, I don’t believe charter schools are public schools. If you have to participate in a lottery to get in, you are operating more like a private school than a public school.

John, just curious about your take on the condition of the regular public school system. Why aren’t you angry about that? why aren’t you questioning that? Charter schools are bound by their charter and cannot pick and choose as they see fit so that’s just plain wrong and you are passing along misinformation. At least you are correct about one thing, most charters are located in the most needy parts of neighborhoods, however, any child from any town (even Guilderland!) can apply and be accepted. The state just lifted the cap on the amount of charters in New York so hopefully your comment about being such a small percentage will change drastically and the public school system as we know it will cease to exist. That would be the best thing to happen for our children!!!

EducationReformWanted #12-The thing you don’t get is that the Albany public school system still wants to operate at full capacity when they are not nearly as full as they used to be because of the charters. They refuse to make cuts. That’s why Albany is under the asusmption they are supporting two school systems when the reality is, they don’t know how to budget. The money should follow the child, not stay at a school that they don’t attend. Also, Albany retains a percentage of the allotted amount per student when the child goes to a charter school. That’s not fair, is it? Why should they keep any of it if the kid isn’t even in that school? They need to budget according to their enrollment, not what they used to have for enrollment. It’s just common sense. The kids could only benefit from that. You also hit the nail on the head by saying “sure the unions have a lot of power and of course there are teachers who shouldn’t be teaching”. No duh.

DM .. the parent doesn’t have to have a diploma to recognize the value of education and encouraging their kids to do so. I was the first in my immediate family to graduate from a four year college in the mid 70’s.
My mother was a teenager in Queens NY in the 30’s and 40’s. She was a HS grad and later took some courses at Hunter college. She ended up working for the Federal Goverment because, as she explained to me, if you were black and a woman in the 40’s that’s the only employer that would hire you or at least went through the motions of ‘equal access’.

Good question why charter schools are not needed in towns like Delmar and Guilderland..socio-economic pressure does impact school performance. Especially when too many urban (and sub-urban)kids have been brainwashed into putting more value in what you look like and what you own than what you know? One reason for the uniforms in charter and perochial schools. Get kids to Focus on what matters.
that can’t only come from the teacher that sees them a few hours a day.

I don’t think that it’s far to say that most Public schools teachers don’t care and only the charter school ones do. Many probably work as hard they can to reach the kids that they can.

I am so sick of people blaming parents that supposedly don’t care. My child attends a school in Albany and it is not the one we live right across the street from. My husband and I drive across the city every morning to make sure my child gets a excellant education at a charter school. At our school most parents are involved and heres a surprise most of us are African American. Also, I met a parent that lives all the way in Arbor Hill which is across the city from our children’s school. When her car broke down she took a bus to 7:00 parent teacher meeting. I have seen children ride in taxis to get to school. I have seen parents walking early in the morning to get them there on time. There is so much parents in the middle class take for granted that poor parents need to deal with. Our school alone had over 400 people in attendance for the documentary. I never felt more proud in my life. Our children are just as precious to us. We want kind teachers, safe environments, and a principal that doesn’t look down on us just because of the color of our skin. We are fed up and lit up! Yes we can! Yes we Can! Yes we Can!

Education is the key for EVERYONE! Charter schools would not be necessary if district schools were dong their job. Schools need to do what they were built to do, teach our children, every single last one of them. THANK YOU PRINCIPAL CURRIE AND THANK YOU TO YOUR WONDERFUL TEACHERS AND STAFF! I AM SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY!

It’s about time: I would be willing to bet that Albany has to budget for services that the Charter Schools don’t. Did you know that public schools are responsible for providing sped services like OT, PT and speech to student’s that aren’t even attending classes in their schools? As long as that student LIVES in their district they still have to provide those services.

As far as the effectiveness of the Charter Schools go, they haven’t been in existence long enough for me to jump on the bandwagon. Once they have a few cohorts pass through the whole system, maybe then you can convince me. Brighter Choice only started in 2002-2003 I believe, so those kids are just now finishing up Middle School.

You don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. There are poor teachers, poor lawyers, poor doctors etc. etc. You can’t condemn an entire system by the actions of a few. Being a teacher is one of the most thankless, demanding and challenging professions out there.

EducationReformWanted-Albany doesn’t know how to budget and it’s scary to think that they are responsible for providing SPED services. Look at what happens to the non-special needs children. I can only imagine what special needs children go through. Scary to even think about it!!! Check the data and do your homework. They’ve been around long enough to show concrete data vs. schools that have been around forever and still failing. If you choose to ignore it than you are part of the problem! I love #16 and I know what school you are talking about. Go Albany charters! Superman is here!!!!!

My homework consists of being both a parent, and a child of a public school educator. What do you consider concrete data? You aren’t comparing apples to apples. Give most public school teachers the ability to teach to 15 students rather than 30+, give them brand new classrooms instead of converted broom closets, give them computer labs and programs and see what difference it makes.

The one thing I do need to see is the reporting requirements of Charter Schools. It isn’t just about passing tests. Standardized tests are not a measure of education. You can look at the NYS school report cards and make assumptions that don’t necessarily add up. The measurments don’t account for progress.

A failing kid is a failing kid, regardless of whether he went from a 3rd grade reading level to a 5th in a year, yet nobody cares about that, or acknowledges the teacher’s attempts at reaching these students.

We are a nation focused on metrics, we assume everything is quantitative. In education it isn’t. It is good to see the discussion, whether I agree with teh viewpoints or not, it is nice to see there is a pulse to the education debate.

NYS standardized test results are definitely a good start! This isn’t about just taking the test, it’s about actually knowing the material that’s on it. In charter schools, “a failing kid is a failing kid” is not acceptable. Every child can learn. The Albany public school system could give their teachers the tools you describe if they would make the necessary cuts and put the money where it’s needed the most instead of keeping half empty buildings running at full capacity. They could invest in their teachers professional development but they don’t. Teachers don’t have the support they should and the end result is the kids suffer because the teachers stop caring. Not all, but a lot. I went through the Albany school system and I look back and can’t believe some of the teachers I had. Just insane!

This is directed at Ed #5. The movie screening at the place theater took place at 6:30 in the evening–it was not during instructional time. You should be made aware that before jumping to the conclusion that valuable education time was wasted. Furthermore, it served as a way to bring the community together to address a very heated debate…education reform. It was not a charter school vs public school experience, it served only as a way to bring light to a very grim situation that presents iteself throughout our country. The situation being that several public schools across our country are failing and something needs to be done.
Subyone- I’m not sure what evidence you have to suggest that charter school teachers are not required to be certified. Charter School teachers must adhere to the same certification guidelines as set forth by the State of New York. What you are arguing is a myth in fact. Where you may be confused-well where I assume your confusion lies is with the fact that NYS allows teachers with a Bachelors Degree in Education to teach with the stipulation they must obtain a Masters Degree within 5 years. But again, that is NYS Law, not charter school law.
This is just a reminder that the idea of a charter school sprang up as a response to the “flunk factories” that have devasted cities,neighborhoods and children year after year in cities throughout our country.The issue is not public school vs. charter school. The idea that families should have a choice of where to send their child is what the big idea is. Hypothetically speaking, imagine you have a child growing up in the most impoverished parts of town. Perhaps there is no strong role model, no college graduates in their family, heck even high school graduates—they are surrounded by lives devastated by crime and poverty. Education is their ticket to break the cycle. Why should they have to go to a school that has damaging results? Why can’t they have better? Don’t they deserve better? Say their families can’t afford a private school, why can’t they be given a chance at success? It doesn’t have to be a charter school to save the day, just a choice to go to another school that at least has some results? Can we argue that? I will say, one thing that charter schools are noted for is their ability to help support and teach families as well as their students. They often help connect their families with community resources, information and support.Perhaps the lack of parental support in traditional schools needs to be worked on. Instead of passing judgment they are in fact providing support which often get lost in schools of such high enrollment.
Its not the public school teachers fault that their schools are failing. They are given a classroom of 30+ students. At the end of the day most parents are overwhelmed at taking their own children and a few friends out for a couple hours, these teachers are instructing students for 9 hours a day with very little support and services. These issues were present long before the idea of a charter school came into effect. In fact, these charter schools increased in numbers because of the high teacher to student ratio in public schools and continued failing rates. Perhaps if the power elite in which run the school system, those who overide the principals,the teachers, the support staff–could better budget and these horrible issues that face our schools on a daily basis could be fixed.
Here is some food for thought….Has anyone wondered why the the city of Albany has 1 public high school that is a non-charter? Does anyone see a problem with that? Why is there not another high school? That should have been a solution a long time ago! There are thousands of kids who reside in our city who attend 1 public high school. Can you imagine that over 80% of our cities children at 1 point attended this 1 high school? I mean someone with 0 background in education can sumise that this would be a failure from the get go.
Those great powers that be are the ones to blame. Until more people start taking action to have a voice to help solve the problem then stop the whining-instead of engaging in this blame game be part of the solution. Blaming teachers, charter schools, parents….it doesn’t solve the problem. I mean let’s start at the very bottom….why not another public high school?

@21`
I have never seen a public school teach for 9 hours a day. Six hours is the most that public schools operate. It is the charter schools that are open for 9 – 10 hours a day, plus extra time that teachers will stay to tutor students that need extra help.
Also, many charter school classrooms consist of 25 – 30 students, not the “15” mentioned above. Often, students that have been “kicked out” of other schools enroll in Charter schools, hoping that the strict environment will help discipline the child.
It is not easy to teach in a charter school. Accountability runs huge, and many students come to the school far, far below grade level. Teachers must do EVERYTHING possible to help these children or else face loss of jobs or closure of schools.

Why is everyone talking only about city schools? There is not mention of the many many public schools that function and are turning out educated, high achieving students who then go on to university? Does that mean public schools only fail in cities? Isn’t it an SES issue? Charter schools do not have the same mandates public schools do, unions do have some responsibility here for watering down education funds but charters also do not have to prove progress, as public schools do. Who supports charter schools? Companies like Walmart and right wing people who dont give a crap about your kid who is failing, that’s right folks it is a political and financial issue, not educational. If money can begin to be funneled away from the public school system pretty soon we have NO system. Which relieves the tax burden of the most wealthy who can afford private school anyway. Let’s talk about what is going right and what needs to change, no doubt things could be better but I do not believe Charter Schools are doing a better job than public schools. I also do not believe private schools do a better job for the most part but that is a whole other story some day.

Eeevvveee,
When I mentioned that long school day, the purpose of that was to acknowledge the extra time that teachers spend in their classrooms planning and tutoring, handling after school clubs etc. The day doesn’t end at the closing bell. You are correct however in the fact that Charter school teachers do in fact teach for 9 hours a day not including after school events, activities, tutoring or planning time.
I would re-check your facts about classroom size also. I’m not sure which charters you are familiar with but unless a co-teacher model is present–the class sizes are always smaller. I only know of 2 at this time that implement the co-teacher model.

Didn’t a charter school just close because it wasn’t meeting the needs of its students?? Charters are just the current fad. Before long they will all be closed. Of course parents want to send their children to a charter, there are additional hours of babysitting available. And the lottery?? That is ridiculous. I’d like to know the numbers! How many children have IEP’s in these charters? I wish public schools could kick kids out like charters do, then we would all have high scores. There’s nothing like getting a kid from charter a month before the testing b/c they were kicked out. Sounds like that child was left behind!!

Fact:
the charter school legislation was introduced under the Pataki administration
Fact:
Tom Carroll, former aide to Gov Pataki, wrote the majority of the Charter school legislation that was then introduced into the legislature and approved by the legislature and the Gov.
Fact:
Tom Caroll, after passage of the charter legislation, left the Pataki administration to help form the Brighter Choice Foundation, which he now serves as vice chairman and chairman for 2 of it’s Albany Schools
Fact:
Tom Carroll also serves on the board of directors of the Virginia-based NCB Capital Impact, an organization that used New Market Credits to organize funding for all Albany charter school construction
Fact:
NCB gets a 3% management and initiation fee for every charter school cconstruction project that Brighter Choice undertakes
Fact:
Lenders can get a 39% tax break over 7 years for donating to a “non-profit” organization to build a charter school, not including tax breaks for job creation or other items.
Fact:
Gov Pataki contacted the SUNY Board of Trustees personally to urge them not to close the New Covenenant Charter school back in March despite the fact that the school TWICE failed to perform to standards set by SUNY after the SUNY Charter School committee twice recommended closure of the New Covenant Charter School
Fact:
Charter school construction continues, meaning more tax breaks for the lenders, more “3% fees” for the NCB, more $$ leaving Albany City School District and headed to Brighter Choice.
Fact:
Mr. Carroll sent a memo to charter school operators in NYS urging them not to participate in the Race to the Top due to requirement of RttT to perform Teacher and Principal evaluations to state standards

so for you Pro-charter morons, that means the money you are having stolen from the public school system is going to fat cats on who participated in writing the law, now run the companies that benefit from those laws, sit on boards that benefit from the construction of new charter schools, and brainwash the urban populus into thinking that their child will be better educated because they go to school wearig a uniform.

It’s not about education – it’s about politics, plain and simple, and Mr. Carroll and Mr. Pataki i’m sure are living pretty well thanks to it.

#25 one charter school in this area closed, however, many public schools should have closed years ago, Giffen, Livingston, etc. Also, the question of whether teachers are certified at charter schools is a non-starter. Unions want people to believe that is what is important. Frankly I only care about effectiveness. Public schools need to stop attacking charter schools because it is just pissing parents off more. As for the right wing comment, I am ashamed that democrats are allowing the education question to be shaped by republicans. Some democrats, not all have let our public schools fall by the wayside as our children suffer. Parents do have a job, but it does not let public school teachers off the hook. Heres a fact- charter school teachers work very hard long hours. since reserach supports longer days and school years, and the public schools seem to care so much about our children lets start there. the proof is in the pudding.

@EducationReformWanted-Your comments are all over the place but ill say this…you are right teachers should not have to wear so many hats…however when dealing with children weather you want to or not, especially when you work in the inner city, many teacher choose to invest there time in these kids lives. I had many teachers that did. Unfortunatly I also had many teachers that did not. I was lucky enough to have an outside program that took up the slack of those teacher that were honestly worthless. BTW I went to public schools. Whats your sulution for teachers that dont teach but have tenure and the union wont allow to be fired? Also a kid from Arbor Hill cannot simply go to a school like say Eagle Point. They must be either placed there.
@Itsabouttime-the public schools keep some of the money partly becouse they are still responsable for transportation cost. Im not sure about the rest of the money they keep however.
@CharterSuccess-I understsand you are fustrated about people blamming the parents but in alot of cases it is the parents foult. I worked at a charter school and even some of the parents of these kids are to blame for their failures. The fact is some parents truly need to take a better intrest in their children. It seems you and your husband do a great job, you may want to consider starting a group to educate other parents on what they can do to assist in the education of their children.
@really-the reason I am not talking about the students that the school system passes, which for the record is a very good percentage of the total number of kids they graduate, is because those are not the kids charter schools are targeting. Charter schools mainly target those students from the inner city, which unfortunatly the public school system have failed upon.
@Teacher-you can tell you are 100% against the education of kids from the inner city with your comments. If you are a teacher, weather you accept this or not is up to you, I can tell you are just like Mr. B(look at 10 above for clarification). You might even be Mr. B.
@CharterKiller-were did you get this data? I would like to read upon all of this. Since you like to give numbers and data why dont you put up data on the education portion of the charter vs public schools issues? This way we can all see the impact charter schools have of children whom are born into a cercumstance they have no control over? You seem to me to be one of the many that hate when changes are made, even if for the better. Here is a fact for you, charter schools deal with many families with economic issues and have better rate of success that local public schools. Im curious what would you say would solve the issues surrounding the public school inability to truly educated these types of students?

My letter to It’s about time,
Charter Schools were made for a society of dead beat dads.
Charter Schools are tailored to “families’ that have “parents”
who do not “have the time to raise their children”. I am a father
of two daughters, both of them, attend Albany Public schools.
My daughters’ test achievement in Math and ELA are in the high 3’s and 4s. I will NEVER send my daughters to a charter, I will allow their academic excellence to benefit the public schools!! Hey charter lovers why aren’t there charter schools in the suburbs?? Aske yourself that question! By the way, superman does not exist so you can keep waiting…..

@Jim M-your questions about why are charter schools not in the suburbs is an easy one to answer. Becuase their is no need for them. Charter Schools are centered in the communities were the students they are teaching come from. As far as your comments about Charter Schools being name for dead beat dads and being tailored to families that dont have time to raise their children, let me as you a question…is it really terrible to give a 5 yr old boy or girl the opportunity to succedd when he/she was born in an envirment(dead beat dads or families that cant raise their children)? did a 5 yr old boy or girl ask for this? is it their foult? should we not give them an option? a choice? a chance?